Meet LaKisha James: Corporate Event Planner

We had the good fortune of connecting with LaKisha James and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi LaKisha, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I have always wanted to be a business owner. The question was, what type of business would I start? My thought process was difficult. There were many things that would suffer if I started a business. For one, I just had a new baby and I was on maternity leave. Secondly, my eldest daughter was on her way to college. Thirdly, there was only one income coming into my household. All these things I had to consider. And I did. I decided to start my business because I no longer wanted to be an employee but an employer. I wanted to be the one that employed individuals. I knew I was created to be a leader and I could not be that going into a 9-5 job. I would not be able to manifest my full potential without going into business for myself. Of course, I was afraid. I was afraid to fail, I was afraid of not being able to grow my business. I was afraid no one would give me a chance because I was a new business. But, the one thing that motivated me was, failure was not an option. I have always been successful at everything I did. God gave me everything I needed to be successful. Here am I today, with a successful business and building my platform. I would not change my journey if I had to do it over. I am who I am because of it. It has allowed to me grow. It has allowed me to stretch.

What should our readers know about your business?
Designer Events by LaKisha specializes in corporate event planning. We also offer event design and set design. We sell something that physically does not exist. Our mission is providing a designer’s experience for every client every time. We have been in business for 3 years and we are continuing to grow with our clients. Clients reach out to us because they lack the ability to plan an event or just do not have the time. We take proud in knowing our clients trust us with making their vision come to life. Planning an event requires a supreme level of organization, time management and communication skills. We are accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ credit rating. Getting to this stage of my business was not easy. Building my brand was not easy. It takes determination, dedication, and perseverance to continue to thrive in the event industry. In this industry, you must keep up on changing trends and keep marketing yourself. You cannot be afraid to grow or to adapt to change. It is essential in every business venture to do so.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Atlanta is the place to be no matter where you go. The people here are fantastic and there is so much to do. I like to visit the World of Coca Cola. The Georgia Aquarium is always fun to visit. The Civil Rights Museum always gives insight on our history. There are always some great concerts going on in the “A”. If I want a great laugh, I head over to the Uptown Comedy Corner. Those comedians always have me in stitches. Another awesome thing to do is the Atlanta Skyline. Oh, my goodness, you will be in for a treat. The Skyview Atlanta is great if you are not afraid of heights. Not to mention, there a lot of restaurants to choose from…anything from Mexican, to Caribbean to American, Japanese, Chinese, African, and Indian. Take your pick. Atlanta is the go-to place to visit and to relocate to.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
First, I would like to shoutout to my God. Without him, none of this would be possible. My daughters for loving me and for keeping me motivated to push through. My circle of colleagues that keeps me grounded. My business partners for thinking of me for the woman I am and wanting to work with me. My followers on my social media platforms for following, liking, and commenting on my posts. Finally, the ones I touch daily without even knowing it. I thank you all!!!